Daisy - that sounds soooo great! We've made a tradition out of cooking lamb with pomegranate sauce. It's Nigella's recipe that I found in the NY Times a while back. The lamb is cooked overnight on low heat and you wake up to this awesome and warm smell. We do this the day before New Years.

I get my shopping done early. (THERE's a treat, all by itself.) This means that I can go to a mall and just enjoy the busy-ness without feeling any of the panic, no need to line up, no pressure. I like the lights, I like the crowds, I like the music, I like the energy.

When I've spent a while enjoying the holiday bustle, I retreat to a coffee shop, where unburdened by a million bags and parcels, I can sit and sip my decaf skinny latte, maybe read, maybe just watch the people some more, enjoying the feeling of being alone in the crowd.

Every Christmas we have a standing rib roast with mushrooms and au jus (even if we cant afford it) we seem to always find a way! with home made mashed potatoes, Galicy Green Beans, Croisants, and deviled eggs. Oh and on Christmas eve we make Christmas cookies and decorate them and save a couple for Santa.